2.5.3 Scavenger

Scavengers are the misfits, outcasts, and mongrel wanderers of the wastes. They move alone, exploring the ruins, deserts, and wilderness in search of the next ‘mother-lode’ of lost relics or discarded junk. Scavengers are focused on avoiding trouble rather than starting it. Thieves of various sorts, from burglars to cattle rustlers, are often scavengers. Other scavengers put their skills to use as traders, for they know well the value of every little item, where it will be a valuable commodity, and what price they can fetch.

Hit Points: A scavenger gains +3 hp per class level. These are added to the character’s base hit points.

Luck Points: When a scavenger increases in level, he gains +6 Luck Points plus his base Luck modifier. A character can never lose Luck Points when gaining a level, even if his Luck modifier is a negative number.

Combat Ability: A scavenger has a poor attack progression but a good Defense progression.

Weapons and Armour: The character starts with the following weapon and armour proficiencies:

Disable Device: A scavenger can make a special Agility check to examine a simple or fairly small trap or device and disable it. The DC is set by the GM. The character usually needs the appropriate tools (scav’s tools) to use this ability. In addition, a scavenger can make this Agility check to disarm high-tech traps without taking a tech level penalty. If the character beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more, he can bypass it (with his party) without disarming it.

At 10th level, the scavenger gains a +2 bonus on Disable Device checks.

Scav Scan: A scavenger can make quick Perception checks to detect traps or hazards in unsafe structures; Intellect checks to accurately identify the most valuable items in a given area; and Luck checks to scavenge loot in Ancient ruins. A character with Scav Scan can make these checks as a move action (instead of a full-round action). The DC is set by the GM.

Sleight of Hand: A scavenger can make a special Agility check to perform feats of adroitness. The character can steal valuables from a target and hide them on his person, palm an unattended object, hide a small weapon in his clothing, or do similar actions with an object no larger than a hat or a loaf of bread. This ability can also be used to slip off handcuffs or manacles, to wriggle through tight spaces, or escape the grip of an angry wrestler. The DC is set by the GM.

Evasion: At 2nd level, a scavenger is able to avoid many hazards with great dexterity. If he makes a successful Agility save against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save (such as an explosion or fall), he instead takes no damage. Evasion can only be used if the scavenger is wearing light armour or no armour. A helpless scavenger (such as one who is unconscious or paralyzed) does not gain the benefits of evasion.

Stockpile: A scavenger makes his living off of what he can scrounge up, and by 3rd level, he has collected quite a stockpile of random swag. Whenever a scavenger needs a piece of salvage, he can make a special Luck check to see if he has found something like this in the past and added it to his collection. The GM will determine the Difficulty Class (it is typically 15 + the value of the item in Trade Units) and the scavenger may not take 10 or take 20 on this check.

Most items in the stockpile are classified by general type: for instance, if a scavenger checks his stockpile for food, he cannot specify what type of food. If a specific item is needed for a given purpose, like a particular key for a lock, the DC for the stockpile check will be much higher.

The scavenger is assumed to always have access to his stockpile, just don’t ask where he keeps the items. At 3rd level, this ability can be used 1/session. At 6th level, the scavenger may use this ability 2/session, and 3/session at 9th level.

Trap Sense: At 4th level, a scavenger gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps (including hazards in unsafe structures), giving him a +2 bonus on Agility checks to avoid traps (or building mishaps) and a +2 dodge bonus to Defense against attacks made by traps.

Bonus Talent: At 5th level and again at 10th level, the character can select a bonus talent of his choice. He must meet all prerequisites for the talent. See the Talents & Proficiencies page for details.

Uncanny Dodge: Starting at 7th level, a scavenger can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to. He retains his Agility bonus to Defense (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an unseen attacker. However, he still loses his Agility bonus to Defense if immobilized.

If the scavenger already has uncanny dodge from another source (a mutant perk, for example), he automatically gains Improved Uncanny Dodge instead. A scavenger with Improved Uncanny Dodge cannot be flanked; he can react to multiple opponents as easily as he can react to a single attacker.

Shadow in the Open: At 8th level, a scavenger gains a +2 bonus to all Agility checks related to hiding. In addition, the scavenger gains the ability to literally blend in with his surroundings while in any area with shadows, allowing him to hide even in plain sight (providing he does not move).

Savvy Scav: At 10th level, many of the scavenger’s class abilities improve. He gains a +2 bonus on all Scav Scan and Sleight of Hand checks, and his bonus on Trap Sense and Shadow in the Open checks increases from +2 to +4.